Thunderbolts:Like Lightning
by VenomSpider33
Summary: Made for Marvel 1611's Marvel New universe. Phil Could on has been authorized to make a team, one able to make the hard choices, and go where SHIELD and the Avenger's can't. Winter soldier, Venom, Deadpool, Wolverine, Elektra, Mockingbird, and Black Widow. together, they are the Thunderbolts. Their mission: kick ass. Save the world. Don't die


Marvel New! Thunderbolts

Chapter One: Brewing Storm

On the SHIELD Helecarrier, Maria Hill looked at the agent in front of her, one Phil Coulson. Despite having joined SHIELD shortly after the whole business with the Serpent, Coulson had climbed the ranks rather quickly, having already reached Level Eight clearance in a year. Of course, being best friends with the agency's second in command, Nick Fury JR, probably helped, but Coulson would have earned his clearance regardless due to his skill. "Coulson, the mission I am about to give you might be the defining point of your career." Hill said.

"Whatever you need, ma'am." Phil said.

"Despite our large autonomy from any one government, we're still weighed down with enough red tape to sink this boat." Maria said. "That prevents us from doing what often needs to be done. The Avengers, even the Secret ones, have an image to maintain, and thus are unable to stop certain threats."

"Where are you going with this?" Phil asked.

"Your mission is to assemble a team." Maria said. "One free of SHIELD and the Avengers, who don't answer to any organization other than themselves. I'm giving you carte Blanche on this, Coulson. Don't mess up." She pressed a few buttons, and dozens of files appeared on a screen in front of Phil.

"These the candidates?" Coulson asked.

"Correct." Maria said. "I'm giving you a limit of eight members, counting yourself. Pick them wisely." With that she left, leaving Coulson with a lot of choices to make.

The Soldier, Himalayan Mountains

In a secret lab facility, a man in a beekeeper suit ran towards six similarly dressed men. "Help! Raise the alarm!" The AIM trooper said to his comrades.

"Why?" One asked.

"We have an intruder! It's" before he could say anymore, a bullet ripped through his brain. The other Beekeepers looked where the shot came from, looking to see a man with shoulder length brown hair wearing a domino mask, a black skintight shirt with light body armor on it, and a gleaming silver left arm holding a rifle, smoke coming from the barrel.

"You guys going to just lay down and surrender, or does this have to get ugly?" Winter Soldier asked. The men powered up their weapons. "Guess that's a no." Winter Soldier fired his weapon and managed to drop two more, before ducking and leaping over energy blasts from the other four, quickly closing the distance. He phoenix punched one in the throat, causing his throat to swell shut, and snapped the neck of another before taking out a knife strapped to his leg, stabbing one in the heart and slashing the others throat. Just as the final soldier died, alarms began to sound. "Ah hell…" Winter Soldier said, and began moving down the hallway. 'Come on, where is it? This is like, the third hallway I've gone down.' He thought. 'Lets see…the plans Sharon gave me said the lab should be right about-' "There we are!" He exclaimed, coming across a door that read 'Blood Lab A.' He kicked the door down, and saw that this was indeed what he was looking for.

Of course, it was also the room packed with the most guards. "Ah, Mr. Barnes. How nice of you to join us." The man who was obviously the Head Scientist of the AIM cell said. "However, I'm afraid you've overstayed your welcome."

"Really? Because I think there's still some time left." Winter Soldier said. He sprayed automatic fire over the room, taking down at least five troopers before he took cover behind a console. He reloaded his weapon and threw a flashbang, and when he heard it detonate, he popped out and shot five more soldiers dead, leaving the Scientist with only two guards. They charged Barnes, but he made quick work of them.

"P-please. We can w-work this out! I'll give you the sample, and you can let me go free!" The Scientist said, desperate to save his own skin.

"Sorry, no can do." Winter Soldier said. "See, that sample comes from a very good friend of mine, and I can't let you walk out of here with that knowledge." He began to raise his rifle.

"That won't be necessary, Agent Barnes." A voice said, and Winter Soldier turned to see Coulson step out of the shadows.

"And you are?" He asked.

"Phil Coulson, Agent of SHIELD." Phil said. "It's an honor to meet you, sir. You and him were inspirations to me growing up." It didn't need to be said who 'he' was. Despite appearing to only he in his mid 20's, Winter Soldier was actually Bucky Barnes, Captain America's sidekick from WWII who had been kept alive by the KGB so he could kill for them, being placed in suspended animation after each mission, and Barnes regained his memories and identity. When Steve Rodgers was shot following the superhero civil war, Bucky took up the shield. But as far as the world was concerned, Bucky Barnes died fighting the Asgardian Serpent last year, allowing him to operate in secret as the Winter Soldier once again.

"Thanks, I guess." Bucky said. "Mind telling me what clearance level you are? There's a short list of people who know I'm still alive, and I don't remember seeing your name on it."

"I'm level 8." Coulson answered. "And right now, I'm carrying out a mission."

"Let me guess: assist me in my mission any way possible?" The former sidekick said.

"Actually, that was optional. And unneeded, considering the trail of dead beekeepers all over the place." Phil said.

"Sorry. Old habits die hard." Bucky said, and walked over to a test tube containing blood labelled 'SS-1'.

"Is that it?" Phil asked.

"Yeah. A sample of Captain America's blood, taken during a battle against Norman Osborn." Barnes said , and picked up the vial, walked over to the incinerator, and chucked it in. "So why are you here?"

"It's simple, really." The level 8 agent said. "I'm here to give you an offer."

The Savage, Mexico

"What kind of offer?" Wolverine, wearing the yellow and blue costume he was known around the world in, asked as he fought drug runners he'd been tracking from New York.

"I've been asked to make a team, and I'd like you to join." Coulson said, watching as Wolverine sliced the tattooed arm of a gunman off.

"What, like the Avengers? Sorry bub, but I'm not interested." Wolverine said.

"No, not like the Avengers. As I understand it, you've come into conflict with them over various issues. About them not doing what needs to be done. Like with Hope." Phil said, and this caused Wolverine to flinch, allowing one thug to hit him with a crowbar, though the wound instantly healed.

"I didn't take any pleasure in that, but we needed to do it." Wolverine said as he resumed his battle.

"So why didn't you?" Phil asked.

"Because Cyclops got it into his head that we could use the Phoenix Force to Jumpstart the mutant population back to what it was, and ended up possessed by it. Hope was our only chance of beating the Phoenix Five." Wolverine explained as he made short work of the a large man with a shotgun.

"But Cyclops's plan worked." Phil said. "Every day, SHIELD keeps getting more and more reports of new mutants popping up around the globe."

"I know. But we all forgot one thing: what would happen to Hope?" Wolverine said as he rammed his claws through a thugs stomach. "I watched as that thing drove Jean insane, and I couldn't let that happen again. I figured that the only way to save Hope from going through that was to kill her. I mean, look at Cyke now. When I first met the guy, he was all for Human/Mutant equality. Now, he's endangering everything the professor worked so hard for." Logan looked at Coulson as he finished off the last drug runner. "How long before he goes too far? Before he ends up doing something everyone will regret? Will the Avengers do what's needed then?"

"There's no guarantee they will." Coulson said. "But we will. That's what this is: a team that's willing to make the tough calls, who are willing to take a life to save the world."

"So why me?" Logan asked as he removed his cowl.

"Because of what you bring to the table." Phil said.

The Symbiote, Nevada

"What I bring to the table?" Agent Venom, wearing what could only be described as a military version of Spider-Man's black costume, said as he fought against men with machine guns, using his suit to pick up fallen weapons and use them. "And what would that be?"

"Aside from that suit, a fresh perspective." Coulson said as he chopped a man who tried to attack him in the neck. "The people I've chosen for this operation, they're all experienced in the superhuman community, but you've been Venom for what, seven months?"

"Something like that." Venom said as he used a hammer tendril to knock a man down.

"My point is, sometimes a fresh set of eyes does wonders for a team like this." Coulson said. "But that's not the only thing. You also bring a good set of morals."

"I'm not sure what you mean, sir." Venom said as he flung one man into another.

"I'm level 8, corporal Thompson. Do you know what that means?" The Son of Coul said.

"Not sure I do." Venom said as he webbed one man and flung him into others.

"I'm a clearance level above most experienced agents. That means there aren't a lot of things that go under my radar." Phil said. "I know all about what happened with the Savage Six a month and a half ago, and with Carnage two weeks ago in Houston." He noticed Venom tense as he shot a man in the shoulder. "Both times, you let men who deserved to die live."

"Yeah, I did. And everyday, I wonder if I'll end up regretting that. Hell, I already do." Venom said. "Jack O'Lantern knowns who I am. There's a prison break everyday in that city. When he gets out, you know the first place he'll go?"

"Enlighten me." Coulson said.

"For starters, he'll find Betty. Not only is she important to me, but she was also the sister of Lantern's 'dad', Crime Master. After he scoops her brains out and stuffs a candle in there, he'll go after my sister. And after that, he's going to find my mother, and kill her. And with Carnage?" Venom said as he lifted a man up by the leg using a tendril. "I should have killed him in Doverton. Otherwise, he wouldn't have killed all those people."

"But you didn't." Coulson said. "The people I'm gathering…they're all stone cold killers. A team like that needs someone to keep them on the right path. Know how else I know you have a good set of morals?"

"How's that?" Venom asked as he incapacitated the past man.

"None of these are kill shots." Coulson said. "Sure, they'll be bedridden for a while, but you didn't kill a single one of these men."

"I don't see the point. They're just a radical group who went too far." Venom said. "I was dispatched here to shut them down, and I did."

"And you did a great job." Coulson said. "Which is one of the reasons I want you on this team."

The Assassin, Afghanistan

"Leave, American! The sheik has no interest on your stick ball team!" A guard said.

"besides, even if he was interested, he is still busy with a…prior appointment." the other guard said, causing his partner to chuckle.

"oh, you thought I was here for the sheik?" Coulson said.

*Thunk* one guard looked to see part of a blade sticking out of his partner's head. "What the-hurk!" he said before he met a similar fate. The door opened to reveal a beautiful woman of Greek descent with black hair, and a red one strap dress holding two bloody sais, the sheik dead from a slash across his stomach, his pants down.

"Talk fast. There was a silent alarm synced to the sheiks heartbeat. I didn't catch it until I killed him." Elektra said.

"Ms. Natchios, I'm Agent Coulson with SHIELD." Coulson said. "I'm putting together a team, and you're on the short list of names."

"And I should listen because?" Elektra said as she wiped the blood off of her sais.

"Because in about five minutes, this whole country will be looking for you, and I can get you out of here." Coulson said, and took out his phone. "This is Coulson. I need an air evac ready for me and one VIP ASAP." He put away his phone, and looked at Elektra. "Well, I think that means you have to hear me out."

"Speak before I decide that having SHIELD hunting me is worth it." Elektra said.

"The team I'm putting together could use someone like you. You have experience, you're fearless, and you always get the job done." Phil said. "The missions we'll be going on need to be done quickly and effectively. Something that's your specialty."

"Did you ever consider a career in business negotiation?" Elektra said. "Because you are very charismatic."

"I considered it, but I answered the call of my country instead." Phil said.

"I have to ask: why me?" Elektra asked.

"Because I know that becoming an assassin, dying, coming back, and being replaced by a Skrull isn't how you wanted your life to turn out."

The Psycho, France

"What gave you that idea? The fact that I look like Ryan Reynolds with cancer?" Deadpool said as he was fighting , strangely enough, mimes as Coulson sipped tea and ate croissant. "You think I wanted this?"

"Yes. SHIELD's kept tabs on you for years, Wade. Oscar Zero, Weapon X…" Phil said.

"They were a part of that?" Deadpool asked as he sliced the head off a mime.

"No. But we know everything about them, and we know that both times, you volunteered." Phil said as Deadpool shot two mimes.

"So what? As a citizen of this fine comic book universe, I have the right to choose what I volunteer for." Deadpool said.

"Because that's exactly what I'm looking for: volunteers." Coulson said as a mime stabbed Deadpool in the chest.

"For what, SHIELD? Sorry, but I'm still pissed at you guys for not paying me for taking care of your dead Presidents." Deadpool said as he disembowled his attackers.

"Good. SHIELD prefers you to stay as far away from them as possible." Coulson said. "This team's operations will be completely free of SHIELD interference or involvement. The only thing SHIELD has to do with this is that they're providing us our funding and equipment."

"So you're telling me SHIELD won't threaten to kill me if I step on a butterfly?" Deadpool asked as he finished off his attackers. "That sounds nice, but I have one question: why?"

"Why?"

The Spy, Saint Petersburg

"Because despite their independence, SHIELD has boundaries." Coulson told a woman with long red hair wearing a black bodysuit with an hourglass symbol on it who was fighting men in black combat gear. "You should know that better than anyone, Natasha. And the Avengers? Despite their power, they're only able to combat immediate threats when they happen. Someone needs to be there to stop threats before they endanger the planet."

"So you're saying this is like the Secret Avengers." Black Widow said as she knocked out an attacker before using another as a human shield.

"No. That was organized by the Avengers and SHIELD. While SHIELD will be financially sponsoring us, they have no say in how we do things. Same goes for the Avengers." Phil said. "There will be no red tape, no bureaucracy getting in the way. Only our mission, and how we accomplish it."

"And if we decide to leave?" Widow asked as she blasted two with her Widow's Bites.

"You can go anytime you want. It's a volunteer unit, and you can leave without any trouble. Of course, you'll be forbidden to speak to ANYONE about our missions, for obvious reasons." Phil said, and Natasha consisted off her last opponent. "Well? Are you in?"

One Week Later, Edwards Air Force

Coulson stood in the hanger bay talking to Hill. "I'd like to thank you for your faith in me, Director." Phil said.

"You haven't done anything to make me think I've misplaced that faith, Coulson." Maria said. "But I have to ask…why them? Why these people specifically?"

"Honestly? Because when the going gets tough, and they're backs are against the wall, they'll do what's needed." Coulson said, and a car with Elektra, Black Widow, and Venom pulled up, followed shortly by Wolverine and Winter Soldier on separate motorcycles, and Deadpool teleported in.

"I thought I said you could have eight. Counting yourself, there are only seven." Hill said.

"I know. Getting number eight is our first order of business." Coulson said as the team walked towards them. "I'd like to thank you all for coming. You're here because you can make the choices that need to be made, and because you're not afraid to get your hands dirty."

"I'm gonna have to cut this short." Hill said, and looked at Phil. "Sorry. I have other appointments I need to keep today." She looked at the assembled six. "SHIELD can't go everywhere there's a problem that needs solving, held back by international laws and mandates. That's where you come in."

"Coulson's already told us what we're for, Maria." Winter Soldier said.

"Well then, let me make a few things clear." Maria said. "Officially, SHIELD has nothing to do to you. If you are captured, we will deny even knowing you woke up that morning. If you are killed, your families will not receive any form of compensation or information about your deaths."

"I don't think any of us have to worry about that, lady." Deadpool said.

"I do." Venom said. "I've got a recently widowed sister and a traumatized mother. If I do bite it, what will you tell them?"

"We'll work that out eventually." Coulson said. "Director, is there anything else you want to tell them?"

"No. In fact, as far as you're concerned, I'm eating lunch with Reed Richards." Hill said.

"I thought he was in the Negative Zone with his family." Wolverine said.

"Exactly. So no one will be able to tell you otherwise." With that, Hill began to walk away.

"So, weird spy lady aside, what do we do now?" Venom asked.

"We need to come up with a name." Wolverine said. "Every team I've been on, we've had a name."

"Hey writer, how about naming us 'Deadpool and his Awesome Subordinates'?" Deadpool said. "No? Well f**k you!"

"Defenders?" Winter Soldier suggested. "Secret Warriors?"

"I was thinking something else." Coulson said. "The other day, I was reading a poem by Thomas Randolph. It said 'Justice, like lightning, ever should appear to few men's ruin, but to all men's fear.' We will strike where evil is the same as lightning strikes the earth, showing no mercy to those who oppose us."

"Coulson, are you going where I think you're going?" Natasha asked.

"That's right. From here on out, we are the Thunderbolts, and may God help any who stand in our way." Coulson said. "Now, you all might want to move."

"Why?" Elektra asked, and Coulson smirked.

"Give it a minute." He said, and sirens began to wail across the base.

"All airmen and engineers, clear the area around Hanger B-18. Repeat, clear area around B-18." The announcers voice said. Deadpool looked up and saw 'B-18' written on the wall of the hangar they were in.

"Uh, guys. I think we'd better listen to the man in the suit." He said. As soon as he said that, the floor of the hangar split open, causing the team to step back, and the roof completely opened up to show the clear blue California skies. Out of the ground rose a large platform with what could only be described as a larger, more technologically advanced Boeing 747.

"This was a prototype for the Quincarrier. Take a 747, deck it out with tech that's almost bleeding edge, and paint it black." Coulson said. "I like to call it 'The Bus.'"

"How'd you get this?" Winter Soldier asked.

"Hill let me have it." Everyone looked surprised at the simplicity of the super spy's answer. "What? We needed a mode of transportation, and this was just collecting dust. So, I asked nicely."

"So what's first on our list?" Elektra asked.

"I'll brief you all when we're in the air." Phil said. Everyone walked to the Bus and entered through the bay door, and inside was a shiny, red, vintage 50's-60's era Corvette. Wolverine whistled when he saw it.

"Damn. Haven't seen one of these in years." Wolverine said, and was about to put his fingers on it, when Coulson grabbed his wrist.

"Don't touch Lola." Phil said, and let go of the mutant's hand. "So, shall we get started?"


End file.
